A Hard Lesson
by Blood Red Queen
Summary: Clopin finds an upset Esmeralda in the Court of Miracles. He tries to cheer her up after she experiences her first love and heartache, and Clopin discovers it's harder to protect the one you love than he thought.Oneshot. All reviews welcome :


**Sorry, I've been in a very strong HoND phase. Which means I have been listening to the soundtrack of the Disney movie in a very unhealthy cycle.**

**Being a major Clopin fan (Aren't we all?) I had to pair him with Esmeralda. Admit it, it would have been cool.**

**I do not own anything.**

Clopin walked between the dark caravans on the outskirts of the Court of Miracles, whistling to himself as he went. He liked the solitude of his late night walks, it cleared his head, mostly of the alcohol fog that was his short term memory.

Using his knife Clopin picked at his teeth. He usually did this when he was alone, or Esme would scold him for it.

Esmeralda. Clopin smiled to himself, under his protective gaze she had blossomed from an awkward girl to a beautiful young woman. He had watched over her since infancy and for the last twelve years she had been trouble, annoying and an absolute joy.

She was sixteen now and Clopin had resigned himself to the fact he would have to hand her over to another man, one who could love her as strongly as he did. It was true, his feelings had grown and he was still bemused by this unforeseen development. What he thought of as fatherly love had suddenly decided to turn against his better judgment and transformed into desire and love.

Clopin sighed, he couldn't, he wouldn't. But....if only she were ten years older....... Or, preferably, he smiled wistfully, I were ten years younger......

But she had found another, and that stung. Phillipe, Clopin thought derisively, a young pretentious man who was unlikely to grow more than half a brain. Clopin hated him, but treated him with respect, as he did with all his people. Clopin had often wondered how Esmeralda had ever become attracted to him, and whether she'd still like him with his nose sliced off.....

A small sound reached his ears. It sounded like someone crying. Clopin forced himself to glance round at the source of the noise to see the huddled form of Esmeralda crying her eyes out.

She whipped round at his approach, hastily wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. Clopin felt a jolt in his stomach when she turned those emerald orbs at him, but he quickly gained composure.

'La Esmeralda what's wrong? Have you been crying?' he thought it best to pretend he hadn't witnessed her tears.

'No' she lied. Clopin raised an eyebrow, he had known her too long not to know something was up. He sat down next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

'Tell me _ma cherie,_I'm all ears.'

For a moment she looked as though she's refuse, then she leant against him. For a long while they sat in silence, then she said, in a meek voice he had never heard before 'It's Phillipe...'

Clopin nodded darkly. 'Oh, _him,_' he said, with emphasis to express his dislike,' What about him?'

'He's leaving.'

'Oh?' Clopin tried hard to disguise the glee in his voice. But this just brought Esmeralda onto the verge of tears again.

'He told me he's fallen in love with someone else, he doesn't want me any more' she told him. Clopin glanced sideways at her. How could any man NOT want her? In his mind's eye, Clopin received the delightful image of him actually slicing off the young man's nose.

'There will be others Esme.' he offered helpfully.

Oops, this had completely the wrong effect, tears began to course down Esmeralda's face again.

And in his mind's eye, Clopin sliced off Phillipe's ears too.

Esmeralda placed her dark head on Clopin's shoulder. 'Is there something wrong with me Clopin? Is that why Phillipe doesn't love me?'

Clopin hugged her tightly. Phillipe just lost several fingers......

'Listen to me, there is nothing wrong with you _ma cherie_. You're young, many men will love you, and you will love many men. This is just your first love, so it makes the last kiss all the more sorrowful...

'I-it was more than just a kiss Clopin-'

Clopin's eyes widened, he turned her to face him.

'Esme? Did you?'

She nodded sadly. Clopin's heart was wrested out of him. So that's how the world treated them, she was no longer his innocent Esme any more, but La Esmeralda, a woman who has lost something that can never be recovered.

Phillipe then lost a part of his anatomy Clopin was horrified Esmeralda even knew about.

He hardened his features. 'Did he force you?'

Esmeralda shook her head wildly.

'No! Clopin whatever I did, I did willingly. He told me he loved me, but....after he told me he wanted to move on. I asked him why and he told me all men do it.' she paused, and looked at him beseechingly 'Do they Clopin?'

Clopin sat in silence for a while. He wasn't exactly Mr. Celibate. He needed to handle this with tact. What good was being the King of the Court? He wondered, If you couldn't protect the heart of the one you love? He studied the girl's beautiful face. He longed to kiss those lips, and stare into those eyes as long as he could. But he had swallowed that bitter lesson that he never could long ago...

'Not all men.' He answered carefully.

'I see women with you all the time.' she challenged, a small, watery smile playing on her lips.

'_Moi_?' He asked, pointing to himself in a gesture of mock innocence. ' It is not me _ma cherie_ but him.' Clopin whipped out Puppet, it never failed to make her laugh. He gave the puppet a stern and accusing look, 'Shameless philanderer that he is.'

'That's right pretty lady!' Puppet said in his falsetto voice Clopin had made for him. 'I would hug you every day!'

A quick pretend fight ensued as Esmeralda fended off Puppet while she giggled. Clopin beamed, pleased that he had managed to cheer her up.

'Will you be alright now Esme?' He asked, standing up. He held out his hand to help her up, ignoring the feel of her skin the best he could.

'I think so Clopin,' she said, bowing her head. Clopin sighed as she confessed in a tiny whisper 'I really did think he loved me.'

'Listen' he said gently as he cupped her chin with his fingers, lifting her face. 'This is a hard lesson many people learn. Let it make you stronger. He was a rat, and the man that truly loves you is closer than you will ever know.'

She nodded. Clopin prayed that she didn't realise his hidden message, she was a woman now, but in many ways she was still a child. In many ways, she still needed him.

'Get to bed' he told her, kissing the top of her head, wishing desperatley he could do more, 'You'll feel better in the morning.'

'Goodnight Clopin' she replied, giving him a swift hug. Clopin's heart thumped loudly in his chest. And it hurt.

He watched her dart between the caravans. For a while he stood in the dark silence, thinking about how dearly he would love to have the pleasure of finding Phillipe. Not to kill him, just hurt him excessively. Still, he sighed, this was her first, the next one will probably easier. His escapades were easy, but then, love didn't come into it.

Yes, first love was certainly the hardest.

**There. Sorry if it's slightly angsty. I was in an angsty place.**

**All criticism welcome! :)**


End file.
